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Yuval Lev

Helium

Helium Bohr Model.jpgHelium Lewis Dot.gif
General Information:

Element Name: Helium
Element Symbol: He
Atomic Number: 2
Atomic Mass: 4.002602 Atomic Mass Units

Atomic Structure:

Number of Protons in the Nucleus: 2
Number of Electrons within the Neutral Atom: 2
Most Common Isotope: Helium-4
Number of Neutrons within the Nucleus of Most Common Isotope: 4 (only 2)

Background:

Discovery: Although French Astronomer Jules Janssen originally discovered the element, he thought it to be sodium. Later, Norman Lockyer and Edward Frankland identified it as unique, naming it after the Latin word for sun (helios).
Year: 1868
Origin of the Name: (See above)
2 Most Common Uses: 1. Cryogenic Applications (Cooling the superconductor magnets in medical MRI scanners) 2. Pressurizing and Purging Systems

Physical Properties:

State of Matter at Room Temperature: Gas
Melting Point: -272.2 Degrees Celsius
Boiling Point: -268.93 Degrees Celsius
Density: 0.1786 Grams per Liter
Abundance in Earth's Crust: 8 Parts per Billion or 8 times 10 to the negative third power milligrams per kilogram

Chemical Properties:

Other Elements that will React with Helium: Under normal circumstances, Helium does not react with other elements since it's valence level is filled. Helium can form unstable bonds with tungsten, iodine, fluorine, sulfur, and phosphorus.
Compounds that Contain Helium: HeNe, HgHe subscript 10, and WHe subscript 2.

Important Use: Helium has many different minor uses, there is not one huge overarching use, however there is one main use, which is Cryogenic Applications. The main cryogenic application involves the cooling of the superconductor magnets in medical MRI scanners. This is a very important use because doctors and hospitals all over the world need MRI machines for scanning, which helps determine the severity of injuries and gather information. Helium is also used to inflate balloons, and this is it's most well-known use, since party balloons are filled with Helium.